Becoming strong is not as difficult as it may seem at first glance. This is just a matter of endurance and determination. And it’s a good idea to choose a system that would help bones to build muscles. But you need to approach it wisely. In the 50s. last century, Doug Hepburn – one of the greatest athletes of the “iron game” – having thoroughly studied his body, created a unique system that is quite simple, but takes time to implement and is extremely difficult for both the nervous system and muscles. The one who used it and managed to recover properly showed amazing progress. Sometimes athletes used this program for only one movement, and it also worked perfectly. This is an effective way to improve results in lagging exercises, and besides, recovery in this case is easier.
Hepburn can be trusted. His natural data did not completely correspond to the image of the future legend of weightlifting. But by the age of 26, he sat down with 230 kg in several repetitions, pushed 182.5 kg from his chest and squeezed 205 kg while lying, and at the Olympics he set a world record in the bench – 157.5 kg. For those times, unprecedented figures! Like many in those days, he developed his own training methods, progressing without any professional advice, and now we have the opportunity to use his methodology. Especially since it works great.
What it is
Hepburn’s method is a linear progression plan that includes only complex movements. This program does not apply to fast movements, such as push or lift barbell on the chest, because if you perform a series of heavy singles, then the following dynamic movements simply will not remain.
The Hepburn system is just one exercise to practice: warm up – five single repetitions – five sets of five repetitions. In the future, you add one repetition in two sets every week.
For Hepburn, who had 152.5 kg, the program looked as follows: warm-up sets – 60 × 5, 100 × 5, 125 × 3, 135 × 2; then five singles from 147.5 kg; and, finally, five sets of five repetitions with 125 kg. The next course, naturally, looked like this: warm up – 60 × 5, 100 × 5, 125 × 3, 137.5 × 2; five singles from 150 kg; five sets of five repetitions with 127.5 kg.
How much time can you work on this program? As much as weight grows. As soon as the growth stopped, immediately switch to a less rigid program.
The main principle of the Hepburn program is the gradual increase of the training load. Since Hepburn’s training sessions are held on one exercise once a week, next week, increase weights by 1.5-2%. If you didn’t manage to perform five singles with a new, increased weight, or you didn’t have enough strength to perform all five sets of five repetitions, then at the next training session (in a week) try again with the same weights.
These figures – 1.5-2% – are fundamental. If you increase the load too dramatically, the results will not increase. It is better to start with slightly smaller scales and slowly but surely move towards visible shifts. Some reach it in three weeks, some in two months. The more carefully you will increase the load, the further you advance.
Hepburn’s program first, using singles, attacks the ligaments and tendons, and then provides the muscles with an impressive amount of basic work. Singles will allow you to pay more attention to questions of form, and five sets of five repetitions – to get deep into their reserves.
How it works
The next four weeks you will spend on one exercise per day. But, believe me, the benefits will be colossal. The progression is simple: you add one repeat to two sets for a single and one repeat to one set for work. Usually, when people talk about the Hepburn system, they give a textbook example with a bench press. But the method is quite possible to practice with the upper press, squatting with the barbell, the deadlift, working with the press and many other exercises. But never use this scheme more than once a week for the same body part.
Working on this system, you on average will raise more than usual time. And among other things, this method is much less traumatic than others.
Scheme
As for weight, it is enough to use only 80% of its maximum. At the end of 4 weeks, add 5 kg to the bench press and 3 – to work with the legs. When the cycle is over, repeat it again.
And do not forget that you need to start with a series of warm-up sets. They should not be too much, so as not to get too deep into their reserves and save power to carry out the program itself. Three or four sets is enough.
To make the scheme clear, the first digit is the sets, and the second is the repetition.
Week 1: 6×2, 2×3 single; 3×7 work;
Week 2: 4×2, 4×3 single; 2×7, 1×8 work;
Week 3: 2×2, 6×3 single; 1×8, 2×8 work;
Week 4: 8×3 single; 3×8 work.
